I gotta disagree with you. Nirvana was huge back in '91(which you acknowledge) I recall Pearl Jam and Soundgarden being out there for certain kids in high School but they were far from mainstream, but once Nevermind came out the whole hair-metal scene went kaput. GNR, Def Leppard, Nelson, etc, was not cool save for a few die hards. Suddenly people wanted to hear more from similar aesthetic bands such as RHCP, Smashing Pumpkins, and by '93 there were a whole wave of artists that came out like STP, Spin Doctors, Soul Asylum (been around forever but were suddenly viable as alternative). Nirvana Nevermind was the reason why all the aformentioned bands became accepted in the mainstream and were the measuring standard for all other bands by the mainstream music listener back then (PJ, SG, AIC included) Nirvana was the biggest band from 91-94. In Utero was the most anticipated record when it came out (PJ's Versus probably was a slight second) and didn't do as great commercially as Nevermind and I think that is what perhaps leads to the perception Nirvana (Cobain) wasn't as big before his death. I will agree that Unplugged resuscitated the Nirvana legacy because it was a great and unexpected album, but I don't think that Nirvana's legacy grew bigger death. I think we are pointing out the same events but interpreting it way differently, but these are my recollection between ages 16 and 20.